And the Gospel that is their Message, that's a Gospel of Peace, and the end that they are to aim at in their Ministry it is to bring peace to mens Souls. And besides, sometimes there is a necessity for Ministers to preach things that are hard unto people; things that they think to be very hard and grievous unto them; though their main scope be the Gospel of Peace; yet there are many things that belong to their Commission that seem to be very hard to people, As the opening of their lost and miserable condition by Nature, and the like, and to threaten sometimes in the Name of God: Now therefore, That they might convince people that they aim only at good unto them in this; therefore they must be of as loving, and gentle, and quiet, and ⟨p. 139⟩patient Spirits as possible may be, especially in their own cause, and that's the trial. You sometimes perhaps hear a Minister preach hard things, and you think they come with much harshness to you, and your hearts are ready to rise against them: But examine whether in all their dealings else, and in things concerning themselves, whether they be not of loving and gentle Spirits, and full of Bowels of Compassion. And they must be of such dispositions, that they might win upon people and draw their hearts, as in Hos. 11. 4. I drew them with Cords of a Man, and with the Bands of love. And indeed this is one special reason why God sends Men to be the Ministers of the Gospel rather then Angels, that there might not be any terror struck into the hearts of people. If Angels should appear they would be exceeding dreadful and terrible; but God doth rather choose Man to be a Minister, that so he might suit himself to the dispositions of Men, and draw with the Cords of Man: And what's that? That's with the Bands of love. Mans Nature will rather be drawn then driven.
And the Gospel that is their Message, that's a Gospel of Peace, and the end that they are to aime at in their Ministry it is to bring peace to mens Souls. And besides, sometimes there is a necessity for Ministers to preach things that are hard unto people; things that they think to be very hard and grievous unto them; though their main scope be the Gospel of Peace; yet there are many things that belong to their Commission that seem to be very hard to people, As the opening of their lost and miserable condition by Nature, and the like, and to threaten sometimes in the Name of God: Now therefore, That they might convince people that they aim onely at good unto them in this; therefore they must be of as loving, and gentle, and quiet, and ⟨p. 139⟩patient Spirits as possible may be, especially in their own cause, and that's the tryal. You sometimes prehaps hear a Minister preach hard things, and you think they come with much harshness to you, and your hearts are ready to rise against them: But examine whether in all their dealings else, and in things concerning themselves, whether they be not of loving and gentle Spirits, and full of Bowels of Compassion. And they must be of such dispositions, that they might win upon people and draw their hearts, as in Hos. 11. 4. I drew them with Cords of a Man, and with the Bands of love. And indeed this is one special reason why God sends Men to be the Ministers of the Gospel rather then Angels, that there might not be any terror strook into the hearts of people. If Angels should appear they would be exceeding dreadful and terrible; but God doth rather choose Man to be a Minister, that so he might sute himself to the dispositions of Men, and draw with the Cords of Man: And what's that? That's with the Bands of love. Mans Nature will rather be drawn then driven.
